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Paradox: The Nine Greatest Enigmas in Physics
A fun and fascinating look at great scientific paradoxes.
Throughout history, scientists have come up with theories and ideas that just don't seem to make sense. These we call paradoxes. The paradoxes Al-Khalili offers are drawn chiefly from physics and astronomy and represent those that have stumped some of the finest minds. For example, how can a cat be both dead and alive at the same time? Why will Achilles never beat a tortoise in a race, no matter how fast he runs? And how can a person be ten years older than his twin?
With elegant explanations that bring the reader inside the mind of those who've developed them, Al-Khalili helps us to see that, in fact, paradoxes can be solved if seen from the right angle. Just as surely as Al-Khalili narrates the enduring fascination of these classic paradoxes, he reveals their underlying logic. In doing so, he brings to life a select group of the most exciting concepts in human knowledge. Paradox is mind-expanding fun.
Throughout history, scientists have come up with theories and ideas that just don't seem to make sense. These we call paradoxes. The paradoxes Al-Khalili offers are drawn chiefly from physics and astronomy and represent those that have stumped some of the finest minds. For example, how can a cat be both dead and alive at the same time? Why will Achilles never beat a tortoise in a race, no matter how fast he runs? And how can a person be ten years older than his twin?
With elegant explanations that bring the reader inside the mind of those who've developed them, Al-Khalili helps us to see that, in fact, paradoxes can be solved if seen from the right angle. Just as surely as Al-Khalili narrates the enduring fascination of these classic paradoxes, he reveals their underlying logic. In doing so, he brings to life a select group of the most exciting concepts in human knowledge. Paradox is mind-expanding fun.
256 pages, Paperback
First published May 22, 2012
443 people are currently reading
5956 people want to read
About the author
Jim Al-Khalili
39books714followersDr. Jameel Sadik "Jim" Al-Khalili is an Iraqi-British theoretical physicist, author and broadcaster. He is professor of theoretical physics and chair in the public engagement in science at the University of Surrey. He is a regular broadcaster and presenter of science programmes on BBC radio and television, and a frequent commentator about science in other British media.
In 2014, Al-Khalili was named as a RISE (Recognising Inspirational Scientists and Engineers) leader by the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). He was President of Humanists UK between January 2013 and January 2016.
In 2014, Al-Khalili was named as a RISE (Recognising Inspirational Scientists and Engineers) leader by the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). He was President of Humanists UK between January 2013 and January 2016.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 272 reviews
November 26, 2017
So this was the true definition of a popular science book. From the get-go, Jim goes on to a number of very interesting examples to put the reader at bay with what lies ahead, and amazingly he moves from one paradox to the other very swiftly.
Each paradox is discussed with the utmost care to be as clear as possible. Although I had to re-read some sections to make sure I understood, overall, it was a fantastic read. What I like most is how the author takes time to explain some scientific theories which serve the paradox in such brevity and conciseness that makes it just enough to understand the rest of the paradox (or the solutions he proposes).
Good book, highly recommend.
Each paradox is discussed with the utmost care to be as clear as possible. Although I had to re-read some sections to make sure I understood, overall, it was a fantastic read. What I like most is how the author takes time to explain some scientific theories which serve the paradox in such brevity and conciseness that makes it just enough to understand the rest of the paradox (or the solutions he proposes).
Good book, highly recommend.
February 14, 2014
This is an entertaining book about seeming paradoxes in physics. I highly recommend the book to people interested in special relativity, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, and mathematics.
Is time travel possible? That is covered in chapter 7, "The Grandfather Paradox", where Al-Khalili explains what might happen if you went back in time to murder your grandfather. Is it possible? I won't say right here, because it is definitely a spoiler.
What about the so-called "twins paradox". One twin stays on Earth, while the other goes in a very fast space-ship near the speed of light to a nearby star. When the twin returns, he has hardly aged, while the stay-at-home twin is much older. How can this be? While the space-faring twin travelled fast compared to the stay-at-home twin, from the space-faring twin's point of view, his stay-at-home twin travelled just as fast in the opposite direction. Since everything is "relative" why did one twin age faster than the other? The situation sounds completely symmetric--but it isn't.
If the universe is infinite in extent, and the density of stars and galaxies is approximately uniform everywhere, then why is the sky dark at night? This is Olber's paradox, and it is very subtle. While more distant stars are fainter (their radiance on Earth is inversely proportion to distance-squared), their numbers increase with distance-squared. Believe it or not, the correct explanation for this conundrum was first written by Edgar Allan Poe! He was not a scientist, and most of his "science" explanations were dead-wrong, but on this topic he got it right! Again, I don't want to give away spoilers, so I will refrain from explaining the paradox here.
Suppose a runner holds a pole horizontally while running through a barn. The barn doors in the front and the back are both open. When the pole is at rest, its length is exactly the same as the distance between the front and back doors of the barn. Now, suppose the runner can reach a relativistic speed. From the point of view of someone standing at rest near the barn, the pole seems to be "squashed", so he could actually close both doors for a tiny fraction of a second, and the pole would fit in the barn. But from the runner's point of view the barn is squashed, so that when he is in the middle of the barn, both ends of his pole would stick out of the doors. How can this be? How can both points of view be correct, when you have such a symmetric scenario?
Other paradoxes explained in the book are "Maxwell's Demon", "Schrodinger's Cat', "Laplace's Demon, and "Fermi's Paradox". Ahhh--Fermi's Paradox is so interesting. If the universe is so vast, and there are intelligent life forms out there that have advanced to a high stage of technology, why haven't we heard from any alien civilizations? Simply stated, "where is everybody?"
The book goes into considerable depth, and gives all the background you need to completely understand each paradox. The style is an easy banter, so it is a fun read, as well. If you would like to put on your thinking-cap and be stimulated as well as entertained, this would be a good book for you!
Is time travel possible? That is covered in chapter 7, "The Grandfather Paradox", where Al-Khalili explains what might happen if you went back in time to murder your grandfather. Is it possible? I won't say right here, because it is definitely a spoiler.
What about the so-called "twins paradox". One twin stays on Earth, while the other goes in a very fast space-ship near the speed of light to a nearby star. When the twin returns, he has hardly aged, while the stay-at-home twin is much older. How can this be? While the space-faring twin travelled fast compared to the stay-at-home twin, from the space-faring twin's point of view, his stay-at-home twin travelled just as fast in the opposite direction. Since everything is "relative" why did one twin age faster than the other? The situation sounds completely symmetric--but it isn't.
If the universe is infinite in extent, and the density of stars and galaxies is approximately uniform everywhere, then why is the sky dark at night? This is Olber's paradox, and it is very subtle. While more distant stars are fainter (their radiance on Earth is inversely proportion to distance-squared), their numbers increase with distance-squared. Believe it or not, the correct explanation for this conundrum was first written by Edgar Allan Poe! He was not a scientist, and most of his "science" explanations were dead-wrong, but on this topic he got it right! Again, I don't want to give away spoilers, so I will refrain from explaining the paradox here.
Suppose a runner holds a pole horizontally while running through a barn. The barn doors in the front and the back are both open. When the pole is at rest, its length is exactly the same as the distance between the front and back doors of the barn. Now, suppose the runner can reach a relativistic speed. From the point of view of someone standing at rest near the barn, the pole seems to be "squashed", so he could actually close both doors for a tiny fraction of a second, and the pole would fit in the barn. But from the runner's point of view the barn is squashed, so that when he is in the middle of the barn, both ends of his pole would stick out of the doors. How can this be? How can both points of view be correct, when you have such a symmetric scenario?
Other paradoxes explained in the book are "Maxwell's Demon", "Schrodinger's Cat', "Laplace's Demon, and "Fermi's Paradox". Ahhh--Fermi's Paradox is so interesting. If the universe is so vast, and there are intelligent life forms out there that have advanced to a high stage of technology, why haven't we heard from any alien civilizations? Simply stated, "where is everybody?"
The book goes into considerable depth, and gives all the background you need to completely understand each paradox. The style is an easy banter, so it is a fun read, as well. If you would like to put on your thinking-cap and be stimulated as well as entertained, this would be a good book for you!
May 14, 2013
What do you do when a friend recommends a science book to you, and a few chapters in, you realise that it has nothing to teach you? ..and the writing style is bland, and the author is at one time skipping over important distinctions, and at another muddling simple ideas with rambling? You trudge on, and change your purpose from one of learning to one of gathering ammunition for a scathing book review! Let's go!
As it turned out, I couldn't make myself finish this book in one effort. I made it all the way to chapter 9 before giving up in frustration � the chapter title was Laplace's Demon but the chapter had precious little to say about Laplace's original formulation, and instead skipped over into a modern reinterpretation, and discussed that instead. Did I mention the rambling? See also chapter 7. So I set the book down, marked it abandoned, and read some other stuff. After a few days, I finally decided to just finish it and put it behind me; only had a few chapters to go, anyway.
If it had only been a matter of picking a book below my level of understanding, I would rate it three stars � that's not the book's fault afterall, and I did enjoy chapter 1, and did learn a couple of things here and there � but it wasn't just that. It was all-around mediocrity and wishy-washy writing. I've read clearer explications of most of the topics in this book elsewhere; James Coleman and Brian Greene both come to mind on the topic of relativity. Some instances of intellectual sloppiness stood out, too. In chapter 5, one of Einstein's famous thought experiments is confusingly retold: If you fly at the speed of light holding a mirror before you, can you see your reflection? The text then goes on to consider the question of flying near the speed of light, not at the speed of light, no mention of the discrepency. It might seem a quibble, but they are two different questions. An example of an outright error is in chapter 10, where in reference to infrared light, the parenthetical clarification "(heat)" is given. The conflated identification of infrared radiation as heat radiation has dogged popular understanding of physics for two centuries, and I was surprised to see a professional physicist commit the error. (All electromagnetic radiation transmits heat, not just infrared.)
To quickly summarize, this is not a good book if your goal is a clarified understanding of physics. It skips, muddles, discurses. It is largely regurgitation of popular physics topics that have been explicated better by other authors in the past.
As it turned out, I couldn't make myself finish this book in one effort. I made it all the way to chapter 9 before giving up in frustration � the chapter title was Laplace's Demon but the chapter had precious little to say about Laplace's original formulation, and instead skipped over into a modern reinterpretation, and discussed that instead. Did I mention the rambling? See also chapter 7. So I set the book down, marked it abandoned, and read some other stuff. After a few days, I finally decided to just finish it and put it behind me; only had a few chapters to go, anyway.
If it had only been a matter of picking a book below my level of understanding, I would rate it three stars � that's not the book's fault afterall, and I did enjoy chapter 1, and did learn a couple of things here and there � but it wasn't just that. It was all-around mediocrity and wishy-washy writing. I've read clearer explications of most of the topics in this book elsewhere; James Coleman and Brian Greene both come to mind on the topic of relativity. Some instances of intellectual sloppiness stood out, too. In chapter 5, one of Einstein's famous thought experiments is confusingly retold: If you fly at the speed of light holding a mirror before you, can you see your reflection? The text then goes on to consider the question of flying near the speed of light, not at the speed of light, no mention of the discrepency. It might seem a quibble, but they are two different questions. An example of an outright error is in chapter 10, where in reference to infrared light, the parenthetical clarification "(heat)" is given. The conflated identification of infrared radiation as heat radiation has dogged popular understanding of physics for two centuries, and I was surprised to see a professional physicist commit the error. (All electromagnetic radiation transmits heat, not just infrared.)
To quickly summarize, this is not a good book if your goal is a clarified understanding of physics. It skips, muddles, discurses. It is largely regurgitation of popular physics topics that have been explicated better by other authors in the past.
August 2, 2017
Fascinating ! This book deals with 9 beautiful paradoxes and their explanations. The writer and physicist Jim has done really a good job. He unfolded the paradoxes and explained things so well. The smooth covering of all the details, explanations reveal his expertise on the topics. The writing is very fluent. I believe anyone will enjoy these beautiful paradoxes. O:)
January 24, 2025
С голяма мъка прочетох тази книга. По никакъв начин не успя да ми задържи вниманието или да ме заинтригува. На няколко пъти бях на косъм да се откажа, мъчих се от началото до края. Е, може и малко да драматизирам :) Първите две книги на проф. Джим Ал-Халили "Красива наука" и "Пътеводител в квантовия свят" са много интересни и добре написани.
В "Парадокс" едни и същи теми се повтарят по няколко пъти в различни части от книгата, обясненията на някои от изложените проблемите са доста повърхностни. Например, известният парадокс на Епименид (7-6 в. пр. н. е.) от Крит „Всичк� критяни са лъжци� няма нищо общо с метафизиката, а е напълно валиден логически парадокс, известен като парадокса на самопозоваването (A paradox of self-reference).
Също така, лошо впечатление ми направи и неправилния превод на Kurt Gödel като Кърт, вместо Курт, все едно е Кърт Ръсел. Може да изглежда като незначителен детайл, но за мен лично подобни пропуски са изключително дразнещи.
Не на последно място, дребния шрифт на книгата допълнително затруднява четенето, особено за такива като мен, които имат нарушение зрение в някаква степен. Дори с очила ми беше трудно.
В "Парадокс" едни и същи теми се повтарят по няколко пъти в различни части от книгата, обясненията на някои от изложените проблемите са доста повърхностни. Например, известният парадокс на Епименид (7-6 в. пр. н. е.) от Крит „Всичк� критяни са лъжци� няма нищо общо с метафизиката, а е напълно валиден логически парадокс, известен като парадокса на самопозоваването (A paradox of self-reference).
Също така, лошо впечатление ми направи и неправилния превод на Kurt Gödel като Кърт, вместо Курт, все едно е Кърт Ръсел. Може да изглежда като незначителен детайл, но за мен лично подобни пропуски са изключително дразнещи.
Не на последно място, дребния шрифт на книгата допълнително затруднява четенето, особено за такива като мен, които имат нарушение зрение в някаква степен. Дори с очила ми беше трудно.
April 29, 2021
Come tutti i libri di questo genere, ti lascia più domande che risposte. Molto interessante il confine poco definito tra fisica e filosofia.
Tralasciando l'aspetto tecnico, è sicuramente un libro che incuriosisce: lo consiglierei a chi cerca un approccio più divertente e pratico alle grandi questioni della fisica.
Tralasciando l'aspetto tecnico, è sicuramente un libro che incuriosisce: lo consiglierei a chi cerca un approccio più divertente e pratico alle grandi questioni della fisica.
August 11, 2021
Letto qualche anno fa e riletto oggi, ricordavo bene l’ironia con cui cerca di spiegare per i profani alcuni dei quesiti più importanti della fisica moderna.
Una prosa semplice, mai scontata, 9 + 1 paradossi della fisica da spaccarsi la testa, che diventano una lettura piacevole da ombrellone.
Una prosa semplice, mai scontata, 9 + 1 paradossi della fisica da spaccarsi la testa, che diventano una lettura piacevole da ombrellone.
March 29, 2017
Görelilikten tutun, zaman yolculuğuna, alternatif evrenlere ve diğer bir sürü şeye dair bilgilerle dolu. Kuantum fiziği bence bu kadar basit olamaz o yüzden basitleştirilmiş halini, aptala anlatır gibi çok güzel açıklamış yazar. Zaten fiziği seviyorum, çok beğendim kitabı, ilginiz olabilecek bir konu ise hiç düşünmeden alıp okuyun.
November 24, 2019
Fermi Paradoksu en iyi kısımdı. Ötegezenler, ışığın ve nötrino'nun hızı, Heisenberg belirsizlik ise en sevdiğim yerlerdi. Kitap Kuantım'u okuyucuyu çok zorlamadan anlatıyor.
May 13, 2025
Physics is so much fun!!!!
April 12, 2012
There is something wonderful about paradoxes - and when I give talks to people about physics, I find it's the paradoxical bits, the ones that seriously bend your mind, that really get them going. That being the case, it's a no-brainer that Jim Al-Khalili's latest book is one to look out for. It's rather unfortunate that he defines paradox incorrectly at the start, saying it is 'a statement that leads to a circular and self-contradictory argument, or describes a situation that is logically impossible' - no, that's a fallacy. The OED defines a paradox as 'a statement or tenet contrary to received opinion or belief, especially one that is difficult to believe' - but there is no suggestion in the main definition that a paradox has to be logically impossible. And that's why they're such fun, because they challenge our beliefs, but they really can be true.
What we get is nine fascinating paradoxes of science (mostly physics), with an gentle introduction using the famous Monty Hall problem (also known as Ferraris and Goats) and one or two other paradoxes of probability. Each chapter is based around one of these chunky paradoxes, but Al-Khalili uses the theme to lead us through all sorts of interesting background, either because we need it to understand the paradox itself, or simply because it's an opportunity to bring in some great material. So, for instance, we have the old infinite series paradox Achilles and the Tortoise as chapter 2, but we also discover the other known paradoxes of Zeno, including the delightful Arrow. Then there's Olber's Paradox - why is the night sky dark, Maxwell's Demon - opening up all the wonders of entropy, The Pole in the Barn for the spatial aspect of special relativity, The Twins Paradox for the time aspect of special relativity, The Grandfather Paradox if you can do backwards time travel, Laplace's Demon for determinism and chaos, Schrodinger's Cat (oh, how I hate that cat) - explained better than I've ever seen it, and Fermi's Paradox asking where all the aliens are. All in all, a great set, which uses these fascinating mind twisters to explore a lot of really interesting physics (and a spot of maths).
As is almost inevitably the case, there were one or two factual eyebrow-lifters. We are told, for example, that the Andromeda Galaxy contains 500 million stars - I think we're talking hundreds of billions, not a mere half billion. And the explanation of Maxwell's demon seems to suggest that flipping bits takes energy as opposed to the actual cause, which is erasure of information. But my only real problem with Paradox is that Al-Khalili writes like a physics professor (which he is), rather than like a science writer. His style can be a little plodding, and definitely patronising. So for instance the 'explanation' of the quantum Zeno effect is in essence to smile and tell us not to worry our little heads about it: 'I don't think I will pursue this line of thought in any more detail here, just in case you are nervously wondering what you've let yourself in for.' In that case, why mention in in the first place?
Again I would contrast Al-Khalili's suggestion that we leave thinking about quantum theory to the big boys: 'However carefully it is explained to the non-physicist, quantum mechanics will sound utterly baffling, even far-fetched.' with another physics professor, Richard Feynman: 'It is my task to convince you not to turn away because you don't understand it. You see, my physics students don't understand it either. That is because I don't understand it. Nobody does... The theory of quantum electrodynamics describes Nature as absurd from the point of view of common sense. And it agrees fully with experiment. So I hope you can accept Nature as She is - absurd.' Feynman's version is inclusive; Al-Khalili emphasizes that there are physicists and there is you, the common herd of readers. This is even rubbed in on the cover of the book. It's not by Jim Al-Khalili, it's by Professor Jim Al-Khalili - a bit like those dubious medical books where the author always has M. D. after their name.
Does the writing style spoil the content? Absolutely not. And I ought to stress that Paradox is by no means unreadable, just not in the professorial rank when it comes to science writing. The fact remains that the idea of building the book around paradoxes is great, the subject matter is excellent and the exploration of different aspects of physics is fascinating. This is a book that many popular science enthusiasts will lap up.
Review first published on and reproduced with permission
What we get is nine fascinating paradoxes of science (mostly physics), with an gentle introduction using the famous Monty Hall problem (also known as Ferraris and Goats) and one or two other paradoxes of probability. Each chapter is based around one of these chunky paradoxes, but Al-Khalili uses the theme to lead us through all sorts of interesting background, either because we need it to understand the paradox itself, or simply because it's an opportunity to bring in some great material. So, for instance, we have the old infinite series paradox Achilles and the Tortoise as chapter 2, but we also discover the other known paradoxes of Zeno, including the delightful Arrow. Then there's Olber's Paradox - why is the night sky dark, Maxwell's Demon - opening up all the wonders of entropy, The Pole in the Barn for the spatial aspect of special relativity, The Twins Paradox for the time aspect of special relativity, The Grandfather Paradox if you can do backwards time travel, Laplace's Demon for determinism and chaos, Schrodinger's Cat (oh, how I hate that cat) - explained better than I've ever seen it, and Fermi's Paradox asking where all the aliens are. All in all, a great set, which uses these fascinating mind twisters to explore a lot of really interesting physics (and a spot of maths).
As is almost inevitably the case, there were one or two factual eyebrow-lifters. We are told, for example, that the Andromeda Galaxy contains 500 million stars - I think we're talking hundreds of billions, not a mere half billion. And the explanation of Maxwell's demon seems to suggest that flipping bits takes energy as opposed to the actual cause, which is erasure of information. But my only real problem with Paradox is that Al-Khalili writes like a physics professor (which he is), rather than like a science writer. His style can be a little plodding, and definitely patronising. So for instance the 'explanation' of the quantum Zeno effect is in essence to smile and tell us not to worry our little heads about it: 'I don't think I will pursue this line of thought in any more detail here, just in case you are nervously wondering what you've let yourself in for.' In that case, why mention in in the first place?
Again I would contrast Al-Khalili's suggestion that we leave thinking about quantum theory to the big boys: 'However carefully it is explained to the non-physicist, quantum mechanics will sound utterly baffling, even far-fetched.' with another physics professor, Richard Feynman: 'It is my task to convince you not to turn away because you don't understand it. You see, my physics students don't understand it either. That is because I don't understand it. Nobody does... The theory of quantum electrodynamics describes Nature as absurd from the point of view of common sense. And it agrees fully with experiment. So I hope you can accept Nature as She is - absurd.' Feynman's version is inclusive; Al-Khalili emphasizes that there are physicists and there is you, the common herd of readers. This is even rubbed in on the cover of the book. It's not by Jim Al-Khalili, it's by Professor Jim Al-Khalili - a bit like those dubious medical books where the author always has M. D. after their name.
Does the writing style spoil the content? Absolutely not. And I ought to stress that Paradox is by no means unreadable, just not in the professorial rank when it comes to science writing. The fact remains that the idea of building the book around paradoxes is great, the subject matter is excellent and the exploration of different aspects of physics is fascinating. This is a book that many popular science enthusiasts will lap up.
Review first published on and reproduced with permission
October 23, 2012
To earn an engineering degree many years ago, I took a lot of math and science courses. I struggled with the advanced mathematics, but I loved the sciences, especially physics, and I've been keen on science ever since. My home library includes many science books, running the gamut from cosmology to quantum mechanics. I don't always understand everything that I read, but I'm always fascinated by a well written book on science. And "Paradox: The Nine Greatest Enigmas in Physics" is a well written book. Author Jim Al-Khalili's writing style reminded me a bit of the old TV series "Connections" and "The Day the Universe Changed," both hosted by science historian James Burke, who demonstrated how various discoveries, scientific achievements, and historical world events were built from one another successively in an interconnected way to bring about particular aspects of modern technology. Paradox: The Nine Greatest Enigmas in Physics uses an analogous approach in presenting famous paradoxes by describing the background of the paradox, the personalities involved, and how the solutions to the paradox have evolved. It's a very effective approach that makes the book very readable, even for laymen.
A few words about the writing style and technical level of the book: this isn't "Paradoxes for Dummies," but it doesn't require a degree in physics to understand and enjoy, just a love of science and learning. The book begins by describing the different types of paradoxes, then focuses on paradoxes in physics which can be resolved with some fundamental scientific knowledge and basic mathematics. The first chapter includes some well known paradoxes that can be resolved without any science. Two of my favorites were the "Riddle of the Missing Dollar," a brainteaser that has been forwarded in emails countless times; and the "Monty Hall Paradox," which I've seen many times, but I'm still amazed at the answer, which is derived through simple logic (hint: if Monty offers you a trade, take it!).
As much fun as the first chapter was, the real meat is in the remaining chapters, where the author presents famous paradoxes that have baffled people for years. As an example, one of my favorites is Chapter 3 - "Olbers's Paradox." The paradox is familiar to most people as "Why does it get dark at night?" The paradox is credited to 19th century German astronomer Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers, although Olbers was not the first to ask the question. The author takes us back to ancient Greece to describe the state of astronomy and the prevailing theories about the Earth's place in the universe, then progresses through the following centuries as knowledge of our universe increases. Olbers proposed an answer, which we now know was incorrect, but he had no way of knowing about the Big Bang and the subsequent expansion of the universe. Surprisingly, the first credible answer was proposed by American writer/poet Edgar Allan Poe in 1848!
Another of my favorites was Chapter 7 - "The Grandfather Paradox." This chapter included one of the more readable discussions of time travel that I've read. And based on the latest theories of a Quantum Multiverse, you could actually go back in time and kill your grandfather, and not prevent your birth in your own time.
Each chapter follows a similar format, with the background of a famous paradox receiving as much attention as the solution itself. The book is a goldmine of fascinating information that covers a broad range of the sciences, as it examines some of the major paradoxes and conundrums that have baffled people for years.
Note: I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review, which I have done to the best of my ability.
A few words about the writing style and technical level of the book: this isn't "Paradoxes for Dummies," but it doesn't require a degree in physics to understand and enjoy, just a love of science and learning. The book begins by describing the different types of paradoxes, then focuses on paradoxes in physics which can be resolved with some fundamental scientific knowledge and basic mathematics. The first chapter includes some well known paradoxes that can be resolved without any science. Two of my favorites were the "Riddle of the Missing Dollar," a brainteaser that has been forwarded in emails countless times; and the "Monty Hall Paradox," which I've seen many times, but I'm still amazed at the answer, which is derived through simple logic (hint: if Monty offers you a trade, take it!).
As much fun as the first chapter was, the real meat is in the remaining chapters, where the author presents famous paradoxes that have baffled people for years. As an example, one of my favorites is Chapter 3 - "Olbers's Paradox." The paradox is familiar to most people as "Why does it get dark at night?" The paradox is credited to 19th century German astronomer Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers, although Olbers was not the first to ask the question. The author takes us back to ancient Greece to describe the state of astronomy and the prevailing theories about the Earth's place in the universe, then progresses through the following centuries as knowledge of our universe increases. Olbers proposed an answer, which we now know was incorrect, but he had no way of knowing about the Big Bang and the subsequent expansion of the universe. Surprisingly, the first credible answer was proposed by American writer/poet Edgar Allan Poe in 1848!
Another of my favorites was Chapter 7 - "The Grandfather Paradox." This chapter included one of the more readable discussions of time travel that I've read. And based on the latest theories of a Quantum Multiverse, you could actually go back in time and kill your grandfather, and not prevent your birth in your own time.
Each chapter follows a similar format, with the background of a famous paradox receiving as much attention as the solution itself. The book is a goldmine of fascinating information that covers a broad range of the sciences, as it examines some of the major paradoxes and conundrums that have baffled people for years.
Note: I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review, which I have done to the best of my ability.
January 20, 2013
The title of the book I actually read was "Paradox: The nine greatest enigmas in science" by the same author. However, given they both have the same ISBN (So I can't add my copy) and the book I read was pretty much enigmas in physics, I am going to post here and assume this is just a publisher's discretion thingo between different country releases :-). Almost like Americans calling the first Harry Potter book a sorcerer's stone (rather than the philosopher's).
I really enjoyed this book. I read the first 3/4 of the book before Xmas and then got caught up in the Xmas rush and the book unfortunately found its way under about 10 other books before I managed to find it again and finish it. And I am glad I did. The reason I mention this is that I don't want the duration it took me to finish this book to be indicative of the quality. This was a REALLY engaging book.
I really struggle finding books I enjoy in this genre. They are either too simplistic and aimed at people with minimal physics knowledge or they are dry textbooks that don't capture the passion and enthusiasm and dare I say humor that encompasses my world of physics. This book though was perfect. It contained paradoxes that I was familiar with (Grandfather, Twin, Fermi's, Schrodinger's Cat, Monty Hall, Zeno's, my fave Olbers' and a few others) but gave each topic enough depth to convey the main message and the underlying physics. The writing style was easy to read and that was backed up by the credibility of the author as a particle physicist. I loved the humor in the book and actually annoyed my husband by reading out paragraphs to him during long holiday car trips (sucks to be him!).
I will definitely be tracking down more of the author's work and hopefully some online lectures he has given. If he is as engaging in person as he is in the written form, then he has a new fan in me. This is a must read for anyone who has an interest in physics - from beginner to enthusiast. Even people with a sound knowledge of physics will find this a good refresher on the topic.
I really enjoyed this book. I read the first 3/4 of the book before Xmas and then got caught up in the Xmas rush and the book unfortunately found its way under about 10 other books before I managed to find it again and finish it. And I am glad I did. The reason I mention this is that I don't want the duration it took me to finish this book to be indicative of the quality. This was a REALLY engaging book.
I really struggle finding books I enjoy in this genre. They are either too simplistic and aimed at people with minimal physics knowledge or they are dry textbooks that don't capture the passion and enthusiasm and dare I say humor that encompasses my world of physics. This book though was perfect. It contained paradoxes that I was familiar with (Grandfather, Twin, Fermi's, Schrodinger's Cat, Monty Hall, Zeno's, my fave Olbers' and a few others) but gave each topic enough depth to convey the main message and the underlying physics. The writing style was easy to read and that was backed up by the credibility of the author as a particle physicist. I loved the humor in the book and actually annoyed my husband by reading out paragraphs to him during long holiday car trips (sucks to be him!).
I will definitely be tracking down more of the author's work and hopefully some online lectures he has given. If he is as engaging in person as he is in the written form, then he has a new fan in me. This is a must read for anyone who has an interest in physics - from beginner to enthusiast. Even people with a sound knowledge of physics will find this a good refresher on the topic.
August 16, 2012
Probabilities, puzzles, and problems abound in Jim Al-Khalili's book Paradox: The Nine Great Enigmas is Physics. If ever there was a book to prompt your brain to run in circles it's this one which offers conundrum after conundrum, rapid fire. Your enjoyment of this book will likely depend on how interested in quantum mechanics, physics, philosophy, and metaphysics you are. I've read a bunch of different reviews of the British version, those who have a physics background find it too simplistic, those who have little interest in these matters find it a bit of a muddle. For me it was a slog at times but it's a short book with plenty of depth and fun for those who enjoy puzzling out riddles of logic.
September 8, 2019
I really like Jim Al-Khalili's writing style, and how he makes physics accessible without being condescending. But this book isn't really about paradoxes, as the author admits in the preface, just tricky questions that have been solved, and I found most of them uninteresting. There was too much focus on special relativity, so the explanations began to feel repetitive and I didn't learn much.
I did really enjoy the chapters on the Game Show Paradox, Shrodinger's Cat, and Fermi's Paradox. I suppose I'm just more interested in probability, quantum mechanics, and aliens than I am in thermodynamics or special relativity. Although I'm also very interested in chaos theory and I didn't particularly enjoy Laplace's Demon so... yeah, I don't really know what my problem with this book was.
It's all subjective. I will definitely read more Al-Khalili.
I did really enjoy the chapters on the Game Show Paradox, Shrodinger's Cat, and Fermi's Paradox. I suppose I'm just more interested in probability, quantum mechanics, and aliens than I am in thermodynamics or special relativity. Although I'm also very interested in chaos theory and I didn't particularly enjoy Laplace's Demon so... yeah, I don't really know what my problem with this book was.
It's all subjective. I will definitely read more Al-Khalili.
October 2, 2022
Sono arrivata circa a metà del volume prima di abbandonarlo. Di fatto non è un libro brutto, semplicemente è indirizzato a un pubblico che non sa nulla dell'argomento. Sinceramente mi aspettavo un libro più adatto al mio livello di conoscenza, invece mi sono trovata a dover leggere infinite digressioni superficiali su argomenti che già conoscevo. Inoltre non mi è piacito lo stile dell'autore, decisamente didattico e con una sovrabbondanza di espressioni come: "lo spiegherò nei prossimi capitoli", "ma di questo ne parleremo più avanti". Tesoro smettila di anticipare cose, vai dritto al punto
February 17, 2021
Jim Al-Khalili tried his best to comprehensively explain/resolve some of the interesting paradoxes in physics without involving any mathematics. And it works mostly. Some paradoxes were a bit hard to wrap my head around it (The pole and barn paradox) and I wanted some mathematical explanation. But a fun read nonetheless.🙂
September 4, 2021
Goddamn I love physics. Inject every book about physics into my veins. This was delightful! It works well for people new to physics (fun, accessible) and also for people familiar to pop physics (deepens your understanding of concepts through brain teasers). Sometimes the author’s dialogue got a liiiitle silly but that was infrequent. Gonna read his other stuff! ⚛️
January 15, 2024
If you enjoy mind benders then this is for you!
Physics is tough for me - I never had a formal class on physics specifically, so I’ve only picked up bits and pieces from general science courses and now from the Science Channel, news stories about breakthroughs etc. It does help to have a husband who loves physics to be exposed to more than (most likely) the average adult on a weekly basis.
This book had highs and lows, and by that I mean with my level of understanding. It started off “easy� with the game show math probability, but by the time we were talking about Schroeder’s Cat and quantum material my brain was twisted in all kinds of knots. Ending on the “are we alone� was much more approachable once again feeling like I was connecting with the material in terms of understanding.
I listened to this book on audiobook and the narration was fantastic, which certainly helped me stay engaged with the material.
I would recommend this as a book to someone with any level of interest in physics; those with more robust knowledge would probably jive the most, but even beginners can benefit greatly since it’s written in a very approachable and casual (for physics - don’t get too excited - there’s still lots of scientific terminology but it’s coupled with explanation) manner.
Physics is tough for me - I never had a formal class on physics specifically, so I’ve only picked up bits and pieces from general science courses and now from the Science Channel, news stories about breakthroughs etc. It does help to have a husband who loves physics to be exposed to more than (most likely) the average adult on a weekly basis.
This book had highs and lows, and by that I mean with my level of understanding. It started off “easy� with the game show math probability, but by the time we were talking about Schroeder’s Cat and quantum material my brain was twisted in all kinds of knots. Ending on the “are we alone� was much more approachable once again feeling like I was connecting with the material in terms of understanding.
I listened to this book on audiobook and the narration was fantastic, which certainly helped me stay engaged with the material.
I would recommend this as a book to someone with any level of interest in physics; those with more robust knowledge would probably jive the most, but even beginners can benefit greatly since it’s written in a very approachable and casual (for physics - don’t get too excited - there’s still lots of scientific terminology but it’s coupled with explanation) manner.
December 22, 2017
Прекрасна книга, особено за хора като мен, които имат много бегли научни познания (да не кажа никакви) по физика и астрономия, но се интересуват от структурата на Вселената и законите действащи в нея. Повечето парадокси като тeзи за Ахил и костенурката и за котката на Шродин��ер са много известни и вероятно сте ги чували, дори и да не можете да си припомните детайлите веднага.
Особено интересен ми беше парадоксът за пътуването във времето. Възможно ли е да се върнеш в миналото и да убиеш дядо си? Ще се родиш ли тогава и какво изобщо ще се случи с настоящето, от което си потеглил? Има ли време и способни ли сме да влияем върху събитията - било бъдещи или минали? Или пък живеем в плетеница от паралелни светове, като всеки е малко или много по-различен от останалите? Отговорите на тези и други любопитни въпроси ще откриете в книгата. Аз изключително много се забавлявах с нея.
Особено интересен ми беше парадоксът за пътуването във времето. Възможно ли е да се върнеш в миналото и да убиеш дядо си? Ще се родиш ли тогава и какво изобщо ще се случи с настоящето, от което си потеглил? Има ли време и способни ли сме да влияем върху събитията - било бъдещи или минали? Или пък живеем в плетеница от паралелни светове, като всеки е малко или много по-различен от останалите? Отговорите на тези и други любопитни въпроси ще откриете в книгата. Аз изключително много се забавлявах с нея.
November 14, 2019
If you think this book is just a collection of physics paradoxes, you're wrong. In each chapter, Jim Al-Khalili, British theoretical physicist, delves into the real world of science, be it Einstein's theory of relativity, quantum mechanics, etc. The book starts with paradoxes that are less physics related and more probability-like. Then it moves on to more interesting dilemmas like Maxwell's demon and Shrodinger's cat. In the final chapter, Jim discusses the Fermi paradox. How likely is it for alien life forms, being intelligent or not, to exist somewhere in the vastness of space. Remember that some basic knowledge of special and general theories of relativity are required to grasp the concepts hidden behind each paradox. It's an easy read though. No mathematical equations are involved. I, as a science enthusiast, extremely enjoyed the book. I hope you like it too.
December 8, 2023
Hard to overstate how weak I found this offering.
To begin with, the author freely admits, in the first few paragraphs, that the book will not deal with paradoxes. Rather he deals with various 'puzzles' from physics - all stories told better elsewhere - and a few (actual) card tricks. Each chapter erects one or more obvious straw men and then proceeds to burn them down in a decidedly self-congratulatory tone. Then he resolves the 'paradox' -- he continues to misuse the word throughout (worse yet, knowingly misusing it) -- or not in a paragraph or two.
He dismisses actual paradoxes (in his preface) saying there is little to say of them. This might come as a surprise to mathematicians and philosophers working on self-reference, the foundations of mathematics, indeed, and the whole issue of whether all of mathematics can be captured without the use of infinity.
The book would be suitable for an average high school student, except I'd never let one near it to save them from misunderstanding what is actually a paradox.
To begin with, the author freely admits, in the first few paragraphs, that the book will not deal with paradoxes. Rather he deals with various 'puzzles' from physics - all stories told better elsewhere - and a few (actual) card tricks. Each chapter erects one or more obvious straw men and then proceeds to burn them down in a decidedly self-congratulatory tone. Then he resolves the 'paradox' -- he continues to misuse the word throughout (worse yet, knowingly misusing it) -- or not in a paragraph or two.
He dismisses actual paradoxes (in his preface) saying there is little to say of them. This might come as a surprise to mathematicians and philosophers working on self-reference, the foundations of mathematics, indeed, and the whole issue of whether all of mathematics can be captured without the use of infinity.
The book would be suitable for an average high school student, except I'd never let one near it to save them from misunderstanding what is actually a paradox.
July 1, 2022
Delizioso e stimolante saggio divulgativo.
Non raggiunge le 5 stelle perché carente in ambito illustrativo - nel senso di illustrazioni come mezzo di divulgazione: personalmente, non avessi avuto giá alle spalle diverse letture di altri testi che han trattato i vari argomenti inclusi in questo libro, avrei continuato a grattarmi la testa a lungo su alcuni passaggi, i quali avrebbero invece gioito di illustrazioni a corredo.
Non raggiunge le 5 stelle perché carente in ambito illustrativo - nel senso di illustrazioni come mezzo di divulgazione: personalmente, non avessi avuto giá alle spalle diverse letture di altri testi che han trattato i vari argomenti inclusi in questo libro, avrei continuato a grattarmi la testa a lungo su alcuni passaggi, i quali avrebbero invece gioito di illustrazioni a corredo.
January 3, 2018
Excellent explanation of some quite difficult physics concepts, and really interesting paradoxes were explored. This book really makes you question human existence and the uniqueness of our universe.
It wasn't too "dumbed down" as some popular science books tend to be. Would have liked to have seen some maths in there but one can only dream.
It wasn't too "dumbed down" as some popular science books tend to be. Would have liked to have seen some maths in there but one can only dream.
August 21, 2024
Incredibly confusing and mind bending physics paradox’s explained in an engaging and interesting way. I will say I found it to be an incredibly difficult read and it took me a long to finish it, but it was definitely worth the effort.
Especially the conversation around Fermi’s paradox, super interesting and will definitely be reading again.
Especially the conversation around Fermi’s paradox, super interesting and will definitely be reading again.
March 26, 2018
Great book with lots of great information in there, I’d recommend for GCSE age (about 15/16) because it gives enough information to peak interest but not in any difficult detail. Intriguing read all the same.
May 1, 2019
Entertaining and interesting, though at times somewhat difficult to follow and a few parts required a re-listen in order to fully grasp what was being conveyed. Glad to have read it, but wouldn't rush to re-read or recommend...
March 12, 2018
Aynı gün içindeki Esb-Saw, Saw-Esb arasında bitirmeyi başardığıma ben bile inanamıyorum.
August 25, 2023
La capacità divulgativa di Al-Khalili è il valore aggiunto di questo libro dove si alternano concetti fisici molto difficili spiegati con estrema chiarezza.
Libro stra consigliato da unire alle sue trasmissioni televisive di carattere scientifico
Libro stra consigliato da unire alle sue trasmissioni televisive di carattere scientifico
October 19, 2024
Un ottimo approfondimento su alcuni apparenti paradossi della fisica, con un approccio accessibile.
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